Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-12-08
CHAPTER xx.-THE BATTLE OF THE PASS

Tt was on the third morning after this
incident of the map that Sir Henry and [
started With the exception of q small
guard, all the great host had moved on
the night before, leaving the browning
City very silent and empty.
Good and Umslopogaas had gone on with
The army but Nyleptha accompanied Sir
Henry and myself to the city gates, riding
a magnificent white horse called Daylight,
which was supposed to be the fleetest and
most enduring animal in Zu-Vendis. Her
face bore traces of recent weeping, but
there were no tears in her eyes now, in
deed she was bearing up br;Eyely against
what must have been bitter trial to her.
At the gate she refined in her horse and
babe us farewell. On the previous day
she had reviewed and addressed the Off
GERS of the great army, speaking to them
such high eloquent words, and expressing
so complete confidence in their valor and
in their ultimate victory, that she quite
carried their hearts away, and as she rode
from rank to rank they cheered her till the
ground shook. And now to-day the same
mood seemed to be on her.
Fare thee well, MaCumaZahnp' she said.
Remember trust to thy wits, which
are as a needle to spear handle compared
to those of my people, to save US from
;Sorais [ know that thou wilt do thy
duty"
! bowed and explained to her my horror
of fighting, and my fear lest | should lose
my head, at which she laughed gently and
turned TO Curtis.
''Fare thee well, my lordr' she said.
"Come back with victory, and king, Or
on thy soldiers spears"
Sir Henry said nothing, but turned his
horse to 90; perhaps he had bit Of lum J
in his throat One gets over it afterward,
but these sort of partings are trying when
one has only been married week.
"Here," added Nyleptha, 81 will greet We
when We return in triumph. And now, my
lords once more, fareWellP'
Then we rode on, but when we had gone
hundred and fifty yards or So we turned
and perceived her still sitting on her horse
at the same spot, and looking out after us
beneath her hand, and that was the last
we saw of her. About mile farther on,
however, we heard galloping behind us,
and looking round, saw mounted soldier
coming toward us, leading Nyleptha' s
matchleSs Steed-Daylight.
1.-The Queen sends the white stallion as
q farewell gift to her Lord Incubu, and
bids me tell my lord that he is the heetest
and the most enduring horse in all the
land" said the soldier, bending to his sad
dle-bOw before us.
At first Sir Henry did not want to take
the horse, saying that he was too good for
such rough work, but persuaded him tC
do so, thinking that Nyleptha would BIT
hurt if he did not. Little cid | guess al
the time what service that noble horse
BY midday we overlook the rear-guard
of the great army of which Sir Henry form
ally took over the command.
On the evening of the fourth day, for the
progress OF so great multitude was ne
cessarily slow, we camped two miles this
side of the neck or ridge / have spoken of,
and our outposts brought us word that
: .Sorais with all her power was rolling down
upon us, and had camped that night ten
, miles the farther side of the neck.
Accordingly before dawn we sent for
ward fifteen hundred cavalry to seize the
position. Scarcely had they occupied it,
however before they were attacked by
about as many of Sorais' horsemen, and a
very smart little cavalry fight enSued, with
q loss to us of about thirty men killed. On
the advance of our supports, however,
Sorais' force drew OFF, carrying their dead
and wounded with them.
The main body of the army reached the
neck about dinner-time, and [ must say
that Nyleptha'S judgment had not failed
her. it was an admirable place to give bat
tie in, especially to a superior force.
The road ran down mile or more,
through ground too broken to admit of the
handling of any considerable force, till it
reached the crest of a great green wave of
land that rolled down a gentle slope to
The banks of little stream, and then roll
ed away again up still gentler slope to
the plain beyond, the distance from the
crest of the land-wave down to the stream
being a little over half q mile, and from
the stream up to the plain beyond trlf1e
less. The length of this wave of land at
its highest point. which correspondent ex-
actly with the width of the neck of land
between the wooded hills, was about two
miles and quarter, and it was protected
ION either side by dense, rocky, bush-clad
ground, that afforded most valuable Gov
er to the TANKS of the army and rendered
it almost impossible for them to be turned
fta hi t},ar -1O nf n
land that Curtis encamped his army in the
same formation that he had, after con
,sultation with the various generals, GOOD
and myself determined that they should
occupy in the great pitched battle which
now appeared to be imminent.
Our force of sixty thousand men was
roughly speaking divided as follows: Ii
the center was a dense body OF twenty
thousand foot-soldiers, armed with spears
swords, and hippopotanus-hide shields
breast and back plates. These formed
the chest OF the army and were supported
by five thousand foot and three thousanC
horse in reserve. On either side OF thl
chest were stationed seven thousand hors
arranged in deep ajeStic squadronS; AM
beyOnd and on either side but slightly II
front of them again were two bodies. nun
beriRg about seven thousand five hundret
:spearmen each, forming the right and lef
wings of the army, and each supported D,
a contingent of some fifteen hundred cav
men.
Curtis commanded in chief, | was i
command of the seven thousand horse be
tween the chest and right wing, which wa
commanded by Good, and the other ba
talions and squadrons were entrusted
Zu-Vendi generals.
Scarcely had we taken up our position
before Sorais' vast army began to swarl
on the opposite slope about a mile in frn.I
of us, till the whole place seemed any
with the multitude of her spear-polnt
and the ground shook with the tramp {
her battalio9s. 1t was evident that tn
spies had not exaggerated, we We're gu
numbered by at least third. At flrst
expected that Sorais was going to attac
MS at once, as the clouds of cavalry whlc
hung upon her TANKS executed SON
threatening demonstrations, but 81
thought better of it, and there was no flgi
that day. AS for the formation OF n
great forces I cannot now describe 1t Wi
accuracy, and it would only serve TO o
wilder il did. but may say, general
that in its leading features it resemble
our own, only her reserve was much gTes
err
Opposite ur right wing, and formll
Sc~.is' left wing, was GREAT army OF dar